본문 바로가기
  • Home

A family viewed from the perspective of “unconnected society” -Focusing on 『The Red Finger』by Higashino Keigo-

  • Journal of Japanese Culture
  • 2020, (85), pp.143-160
  • DOI : 10.21481/jbunka..85.202005.143
  • Publisher : The Japanese Culture Association Of Korea (Jcak)
  • Research Area : Humanities > Japanese Language and Literature
  • Received : February 29, 2020
  • Accepted : April 24, 2020
  • Published : May 31, 2020

PARK SOO HYUN 1 Yun Hye Young 1

1충남대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study looked at the keyword "unconnected society" which became a major topic of conversation in 2010 and the "family" which the author of 『The Red Finger』 had been interested in. In the novel, Akio’s family, who looked so ordinary on the surface, had problems such as severe conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law and bullying; the family, however, continues to carry on, isolated and in denial. but they avoided these problems and lived in loneliness. After these problems have been revealed through the murder case, Akio is punished for putting the blame for the crime on his mother, who pretends to be suffering from dementia to cover up the offence. Kaga's father also doesn't take care of his family for work and his wife leaves home left her young son. After that, the relationship between the father and son worsens, and they go their separate ways. In the end, however, Akio confirms his relationship with his mother and confesses his guilt, while Kaga and his father begin to understanding each other after his mother’s death. After that, Kaga’s father reflected on his life and decides to die, like his wife, in the spirit of understanding her, but instead, he starts to take care of another broken family, Matsumiya's mother and children to create a new relationship. Kaga's father's change may include the possibility that Akio's life will be changed in the future. Through two families, author presents reason to live, ways of living, and attitudes rather than just a lonely death, which society is not interested in, but the most important thing is the restoration of relationships.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.